Wiper with differently ending wiper blades

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a wiper for wiping a cosmetic applicator. The wiper has a holding section for fastening the wiper to a cosmetic reservoir. The wiper also has a number of wiper blades, which are each composed of a blade shaft that transitions distally into a wiper fin and the wiper has wiper fins that are situated different distances from the holding section.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a wiper. Such a wiper is used to wipe excesscosmetic compound from an applicator that is dipped into the cosmeticcompound and then pulled out of the cosmetic reservoir through the wiperin order to apply a particular quantity of the cosmetic, preferablywithout clumping. In particular, the invention relates to a wiper forapplicators of mascara compound.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Numerous designs of applicators have been disclosed in the prior art.Mostly, these wipers are embodied in the form of sleeves or tubularelements that taper at one end, like a truncated cone in the broadestsense. The truncated cone-shaped section constitutes a wiper lipextending in the circumference direction, usually in a completely closedfashion or divided into closely spaced segments of a circle, for exampleas shown in FIG. 13.

In dimensioning such a wiper lip, a considerable amount of allowancesmust be made for the diameter of the shaft with which the actualapplicator section, which is largely composed of a set of bristles, isconnected to the applicator handle. Frequently, the mere use ofapplicators involves a trade-off. If the inner diameter of the wiper lipof such a wiper is comparatively large, then the wiper does not presentan excessive resistance to the removal of the applicator, but leaves avery large amount of cosmetic compound in the set of bristles. But assoon as the inner diameter of the area enclosed by the wiper lip is madedistinctly smaller than the diameter of the applicator shaft, the actualapplicator section is wiped in a significantly more powerful way. At thesame time, however, this significantly increases the resistance thatmust be overcome when the applicator is pulled out through the wiper.

In many cases, this trade-off results in the fact that in the design ofthe applicator, a particular diameter ratio must be maintained betweenthe applicator shaft and the core of the applicator supporting thebristles, which limits the design possibilities.

In view of this, the object of the invention is to disclose a wiper inwhich the intensity of the wiping and resistance that the wiper presentsto the withdrawal of the applicator on the one hand and the actualapplicator section on the other are in a more favorable relationship toeach other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to attain this object, the invention includes a wiper forwiping a cosmetic applicator, having a holding section for fastening thewiper to a cosmetic reservoir, which features the fact that the wiperhas a number of wiper blades, which are each composed of a blade shaftthat transitions distally into a wiper fin, and the wiper has wiperfins, which are situated different distances from the holding section.According to the invention, most of the wiping action is no longerproduced by a wiper lip in the form of an intrinsically closed circularring or in the form of wiper segments arranged along a circular ring; inother words, a constriction or constrictions through which theapplicator must be “squeezed” under a full load has/have beeneliminated. Instead, when the applicator is pulled out through thewiper, the set of applicator bristles must first pass through the wipersection according to the invention, which is composed of a number ofwiper segments that interact only locally with the set of applicatorbristles and that are situated at different heights in the directionalong the longitudinal axis L instead of all being situated at the sameheight. In other words, if one of the wiper sections known as such fromthe prior art with a circular wiper lip is also provided, which isentirely advantageous, then the set of applicator bristles reaches itonly after the bristles have already been freed of at least part of theexcess cosmetic compound. This has an effect on the wiping result thatis positive on the whole.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, wiper blades with short and longblade shafts alternate in the circumference direction so that the wiperfins of adjacent wiper blades, viewed in the direction of thelongitudinal axis, are always situated in alternating fashion at afirst, shorter distance and a second, longer distance from the holdingsection and preferably, one part of the wiper fins lie in a first commonplane and the other part of the wiper fins lie in a second common plane.

Such an embodiment ensures that as the applicator is pulled out throughthe wiper, forces are exerted on the applicator section in a symmetricalfashion, thus assuring that even in applicators whose set of bristles isonly composed of a core of very thin wires, the wiping result cannot bejeopardized either by the core being deformed or by the applicatorflexing laterally out of the way.

In another alternative modification to be used, the blade shaft of each“erected” wiper blade situated after a preceding wiper blade in thecircumference direction is longer than the blade shaft of the precedingblade, as a result of which the wiper fins are preferably arranged indifferent planes like the steps of a spiral staircase. An arrangement ofthis kind achieves a particularly effective wiping because such anarrangement of the wiper fins along a helix or spiral staircase linetends to “wring out” the set of applicator bristles. Such a wiper isparticularly well-suited to applicators equipped with a set of bristles,especially those in which the set of bristles is anchored to a core thatis sufficiently rigid to prevent them from locally flexing out of theway to an excessive degree.

Preferably, the wiper according to the invention for wiping a cosmeticapplicator—having a holding section for fastening the wiper to acosmetic reservoir—is embodied so that the wiper has a number of wiperblades, each of which is composed of a blade shaft that distallytransitions into a wiper fin and the wiper fin is wider than the bladeshaft. Such an embodiment makes it possible on the one hand, to providenarrow blade shafts, which—preferably in several directions—are morethan just insignificantly flexible and thus constitute a sort ofunidirectionally loaded leaf spring, which ensures that the set ofapplicator bristles sliding past the wiper fins can push them aside acertain distance in one or more directions and nevertheless, these wiperfins can be pressed against the applicator surface with a certain forcethat can be very sensitively adjusted through the dimensioning of theshaft cross section and/or the shaft length. As a result, the enlargedwidth of the wiper fins ensures that despite the relative delicatenessof the blade shafts in the circumference direction, the set ofapplicator bristles is truly wiped across the entire circumference ofthe applicator surface.

Preferably, the wiper according to the invention for wiping a cosmeticapplicator—having a holding section for fastening the wiper to acosmetic reservoir—is embodied so that the wiper has a number of wiperblades, each of which is composed of a blade shaft that distallytransitions into a wiper fin and the wiper fin is bent at right anglesrelative to the blade shaft. Such a bend at right angles can be embodiedin the form of an abrupt angle or a rounded section with a verydiscernible curvature radius. In the broadest sense, such a bend atright angles is a region in which the direction in which the localcenter line M of the wiper blade extends changes more sharply at theplace where the blade shaft transitions into the wiper fin than it doesin the course of the blade shaft or the wiper fin.

Such a bend at right angles decouples the blade shaft—which largelyperforms a holding and spring function and at most, a secondary wipingfunction—from the wiper fin that carries out most of the wiping.

Preferably, the wiper fins, viewed as a whole, extend at leastessentially at right angles to the longitudinal axis L of the wiper. Inmany cases, an almost perfect right angle is not required; it is insteadsufficient for the wiper fins as a whole to extend at least essentiallyat an angle a relative to the longitudinal axis L of the wiper, where75°≦α≦125° and preferably, 85°≦α≦115°.

In another modification, blade shafts directly adjacent to one anotherin the circumference direction are spaced apart from one another—formost of their length or preferably even for their entire length—by adistance equal to at least 0.5 times and preferably at least 0.75 timesthe maximum width of the relevant blade shafts in the circumferencedirection.

As a result, the interstices 16 between blade shafts situated adjacentto one another in the circumference direction are large enough that theblade shafts are able to flex unhindered even in the circumferencedirection, without coming to rest against one another in thecircumference direction after even a slight flexing displacement andthus presenting a high resistance to a further displacement.

Preferably, at least some of the wiper fins and preferably, all of thewiper fins have a bevel oriented essentially in the circumferencedirection on their distal side surface. Such a bevel forces a largenumber of the bristles, when in contact with the wiper fin, to flex outof the way in the circumference direction for as long as possible, thusencouraging an effect that can be referred to as a “wringing out of theset of bristles.”

Preferably, the wiper fins are embodied and oriented so that the sectionof the center line of the wiper blade that they define does notintersect the longitudinal axis of the wiper, which allows the wiperblades to interact as favorably as possible with the set of applicatorbristles.

Finally, it makes sense to select an embodiment in which the end surfaceof each of the wiper fins oriented radially inward toward thelongitudinal axis of the wiper is concave, preferably so that all of thewiper fins, when viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis andprojected onto a single plane, combine to delimit an essentiallycircular inner diameter. As a result of this, the wiper fins, viewed inthe circumference direction, come into contact with the set of bristlesin a very uniform fashion, thus improving the wiping result.

In a favorable way, care is taken that the blade shafts of the wiperblades are more than just insignificantly flexible in the circumferencedirection, preferably so that under the influence of the forces exertedwhen the applicator is pulled out through the wiper, the wiper finsrespectively attached to each of these wiper blades are able to flex outof the way by more than just 1/10 mm and even more ideally by more thanjust 3/10 mm in the circumference direction. The wipers known from theprior art, whose wiper lips, viewed altogether, come into contact withthe set of bristles along a circular line, are sometimes divided intoindividual segments, which each resemble a section of the wall of a coneor the wall of a cylinder. These segments have a significant span in thecircumference direction and are also curved in the circumferencedirection as a result of which they only have a very limited ability toflex out of the way in the circumference direction through elasticdeformation, resulting in an “academically small” ability to flex out ofthe way. Blade shafts that are equipped with wiper fins as defined bythe invention, however, must also be significantly more flexible in thecircumference direction in order to ensure a satisfactory interaction ofthe wiper fins with the set of applicator bristles.

Preferably, for the above-mentioned reasons, care is taken that theblade shafts of the wiper blades are more than just insignificantlyflexible in the radial direction (in relation to the longitudinal axisof the wiper), preferably so that under the influence of the forcesexerted when the applicator is pulled out through the wiper, the wiperfins respectively attached to each of these wiper blades are able toflex out of the way by more than just 1/10 mm and even more ideally bymore than just 3/10 mm in the radial direction.

In the vast majority of cases, the wiper has six, but preferably eightor ten, wiper blades that are preferably arranged distributed uniformlyalong the circumference of its holder section.

Finally, it makes sense to select an embodiment in which the end surfaceof each of the wiper fins oriented radially inward toward thelongitudinal axis of the wiper is concave, preferably so that all of thewiper fins, when viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis andprojected onto a single plane, combine to delimit an essentiallycircular inner diameter.

Other advantages, effects, and potential embodiments of the wipersaccording to the invention and those of cosmetic products equipped withsuch wipers ensue from the following descriptions of exemplaryembodiments that will be explained in conjunction with FIGS. 1 through18.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: is a perspective side view of a first exemplary embodiment ofthe wiper according to the invention, viewed from diagonally underneath.

FIG. 2: is a perspective side view of the first exemplary embodiment ofthe wiper according to the invention, shown more from the side.

FIG. 3: is a perspective side view of the first exemplary embodiment ofthe wiper according to the invention, shown in an isometric depiction.

FIG. 4: is a side view of the first exemplary embodiment of the wiperaccording to the invention, shown in a section along the longitudinalaxis L of the wiper.

FIG. 5: is a top view of the first exemplary embodiment, viewed from theinside of the reservoir.

FIG. 6: is a top view of the first exemplary embodiment, viewed from theoutside of the reservoir.

FIG. 7: is a perspective side view of a second exemplary embodiment ofthe wiper according to the invention, viewed from diagonally underneath.

FIG. 8: is a perspective side view of the second exemplary embodiment ofthe wiper according to the invention, shown more from the side.

FIG. 9: is a perspective side view of the second exemplary embodiment ofthe wiper according to the invention, shown in an isometric depiction.

FIG. 10: is a side view of the second exemplary embodiment of the wiperaccording to the invention, shown in a section along the longitudinalaxis L of the wiper.

FIG. 11: is a top view of the second exemplary embodiment, viewed fromthe inside of the reservoir.

FIG. 12: is a top view of the second exemplary embodiment, viewed fromthe outside of the reservoir.

FIG. 13: is a perspective side view of a third exemplary embodiment ofthe wiper according to the invention, viewed from diagonally underneath.

FIG. 14: is a perspective side view of the third exemplary embodiment ofthe wiper according to the invention, shown more from the side.

FIG. 15: is a perspective side view of the third exemplary embodiment ofthe wiper according to the invention, shown in an isometric depiction.

FIG. 16: is a side view of the third exemplary embodiment of the wiperaccording to the invention, shown in a section along the longitudinalaxis L of the wiper.

FIG. 17: is a top view of the third exemplary embodiment, viewed fromthe inside of the reservoir.

FIG. 18: is a top view of the third exemplary embodiment, viewed fromthe outside of the reservoir.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before a description of the exemplary embodiments is given here, itshould be noted that when the terms “distal” and “proximal” are used inthe following, the distal end generally refers to the end orientedtoward the interior of the reservoir while the proximal end refers tothe end oriented toward the withdrawal opening of the reservoir.

FIGS. 1 through 6 show a first exemplary embodiment of the invention.

As is quite clear from FIG. 1, the component—referred to as a whole asthe wiper 1—of the first exemplary embodiment is composed of a holdingsection 2 and a number of wiper blades 3, which are attached to thedistal end of the holding section, i.e. the end oriented toward theinside of the reservoir, and together, constitute the actual wipingelement of this wiper. When the wiper is used for mascara applicators,the outer diameter of this holding section is usually less than 10 mm.It follows from this that when used for mascara applicators, the wiperas a whole is very delicate.

The holding section 2 in this case is thus embodied in the preferredfashion as a tubular element, which means that it is inherentlycompletely closed in the circumference direction and is used to mountthe wiper 1 in the neck of the bottle that serves as a cosmeticreservoir in this case. For this purpose, the holding section 2 ispreferably provided with a collar-like stop 4, which rests against anend surface of the bottle neck and thus limits the distance by which thewiper 1 can be inserted into the bottle neck. As is clear from thedrawing, the holding section 2 is also equipped with at least one detentelement 15 that engages in detent fashion with a corresponding detentelement or a corresponding surface of the bottle neck.

The outer diameter of the holding section 2 is generally adapted to theinner diameter of the bottle neck provided to contain it in order tothus ensure a play-free seating of the wiper 1 in the radial directionas well. In this exemplary embodiment, the holding section 2 has anessentially constant inner diameter.

Ideally, at least 6 or better still, 8 to 10, wiper blades 3 areprovided along the circumference; in the vast majority of cases, it doesnot make sense to provide more than 12 wiper blades. In individualcases, the invention can also be embodied with fewer wiper blades; testshave shown that in some cases, for example five wiper blades can besufficient. That said, such a small number of them does not represent apreferred embodiment; it is instead a poorer embodiment, but one whichshould still be included within the scope of protection.

A conspicuous feature of the wiper blades is the fact that they have twodifferent functional sections. Specifically, each wiper blade iscomposed of a blade shaft 4 that transitions distally into a wiper fin 5which in any case, has a maximum width EUF in the circumferencedirection that is greater than the width EUS of the blade shaft in thecircumference direction.

Preferably, the two functional sections 4, 5 are also delimited fromeach other by the fact that the direction in which the local center lineM of the wiper blade extends changes more sharply where the blade shaft4 is transitioning into the wiper fin 5 than it does in the course ofthe blade shaft or of the wiper fin. Preferably, the wiper fin 5 is bentat right angles relative to the blade shaft 4 in that the blade shafttransitions into the wiper fin with a radius that is preferably smallerthan 3.5 times the depth of the blade shaft in the radial direction.Based on this embodiment, the transition between the blade shaft 4 andthe wiper fin is quite rigid so that the transition does not function asa “hinge” around which the wiper fin rotates back and forth relative tothe blade shaft through elastic deformation. Instead, each wiper bladeis generally deformed as a whole.

In most cases, the wiper fin 5 viewed as a whole extends at leastessentially at a right angle to the longitudinal axis L of the wiper, asshown in FIG. 4. In many cases, however, the effect achieved accordingto the invention can also be achieved if the wiper fin does not extendlargely at a right angle, but instead extends at least essentially at anangle a relative to the longitudinal axis L of the wiper, where75°≦α≦125° and preferably, 85°≦α≦115°.

Ideally, the wiper fin 5 has a bevel 6 oriented essentially in thecircumference direction on its distal side surface 9, see FIG. 1. Thisbevel 6 is preferably designed so that bristles that come into contactwith it are deflected in the circumference direction. In the idealcircumstance, this produces a certain “wringing out” of the bristles dueto a bristle displacement in the circumference direction, although sucha “wringing out” is not an absolute requirement.

In addition, the wiper fins 5 are preferably embodied and oriented sothat the section of the center line M that they define does notintersect the longitudinal axis L of the wiper, but rather extends pastit laterally, see FIG. 5.

As also shown best in FIG. 5, the radially inward end surface 7 of eachof the wiper fins is concave, preferably so that all of the wiper fins,when viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis L and projectedonto a single plane, combine to delimit an essentially circular innerdiameter 11.

The inner diameter 11 is naturally smaller than the outer diameter ofthe set of bristles on the applicator or of an “actual applicatorsurface” that corresponds to a set of bristles. Preferably, even in thisexemplary embodiment, the inner diameter is even slightly smaller thanthe diameter of the shaft that attaches the applicator to its handle,ideally 5% smaller than it and better still, 10% smaller than it. Inlight of this fact, it is clear why the blade shafts are elastic in away that allows them to bend to the necessary degree in the radiallyoutward direction essentially without experiencing a permanentdeformation.

A wiper edge 8 is formed between the end surface 7 oriented radiallyinward and the distal side surface 9 of each wiper fin.

The blade shafts 4 are embodied in the form of slats that are spacedapart from one another and fastened to the holding sleeve 2 or moldedonto it. Blade shafts that are directly adjacent in the circumferencedirection are spaced apart from one another—for most of their length orpreferably even for their entire length—by a distance A of at least 0.5times and preferably at least 0.75 times the maximum width EUS of therelevant blade shafts in the circumference direction. The width of thebase region in which the slats transition into the holding section 2 byforming a rounded or fluted shape, see FIG. 1, is not taken intoconsideration when determining the maximum width EUS.

This leaves a spacious interstice 16 between directly adjacent blades,which does not become clogged with cosmetic even after long use,generally also because the individual blades are always elasticallydeflected a little bit, thus preventing drying cosmetic compound frompermanently sticking to the interstices 16. These interstices 16 permita pressure compensation between the wiper prechamber 10 and the interiorof the cosmetic reservoir so that when the applicator is pulled outthrough the wiper, no pumping effect occurs, which would be accompaniedby buildup of vacuum in the cosmetic reservoir, whose seal wouldsuddenly break, thus producing an undesirable “popping sound” andpossibly even causing the cosmetic to spatter.

Preferably, this simultaneously ensures that even under the influence ofan elastic deformation acting in the circumference direction, theindividual wiper blades do not come to rest against one anotherlaterally, thus constituting a very inelastic block, but instead, it ispossible to deliberately establish their elasticity and thus the degreeto which they move under the influence of the forces that the applicatorproduces relative to the wiper blades as it is being pulled out.

In this exemplary embodiment, each slat has a depth in the radialdirection ER that is smaller than its width in the circumferencedirection EUS. As a result, each slat offers a greater resistance to abending in the circumference direction than it does to a bending in theradially outward direction. Preferably, apart from local defects andpreferably even without exception: EU≧1.3×ER. Ideally, EU≧1.6×ER.

It is particularly advantageous if the blade shafts have differentlengths. In particular, FIG. 1 shows this quite well for the firstexemplary embodiment. In this instance, wiper blades with short and longblade shafts alternate in the circumference direction so that the wiperfins of adjacent wiper blades are situated in different planes andviewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis, are situated differentdistances from the holding section 2. In this specific exemplaryembodiment, one part of the wiper fins lie in a first common plane EB1and the other part of the wiper fins lie in a second common plane EB2,which is closer to the holding section 2 than the first plane, viewed inthe direction of the longitudinal axis L. In this case, between thewiper fins in the first plane and those in the second plane, there isenough space AB that the wiper fins in the one plane can deformelastically, at least during the withdrawal, without coming to restagainst the wiper fins in the other plane.

This arrangement of the wiper fins in different planes means that as theapplicator is being pulled out through the wiper, the wiper offers onlya reduced resistance to the withdrawal, at the same time favorablyinfluencing the contact between the wiper fins and the applicator or theset of applicator bristles and the pressing force that occurs there.

The wiper blades in this exemplary embodiment are dimensioned andsituated so that they deform and move mostly in the radially outwarddirection as the applicator is being pulled out, whereas the deformationand movement that they are forced to execute in the circumferencedirection plays a secondary role.

FIGS. 7 through 12 show a second exemplary embodiment of the inventionthat is very similar to the first exemplary embodiment and therefore theabove description of the first exemplary embodiment applies here in thesame way, except for the following expressly stated differences.

The wiper fins 5 in this exemplary embodiment are bent at right anglesrelative to the blade shafts 4 associated with them in that each bladeshaft transitions into the wiper fin with a radius that is preferablysmaller than 0.75 times the depth of the blade shaft in the radialdirection.

In this exemplary embodiment, blade shafts that are directly adjacent inthe circumference direction are spaced apart from one another—for mostof their length or preferably even for their entire length—by a distanceA that corresponds to at least 3.5 times and preferably at least 4.5times the maximum width EUS of the relevant blade shafts in thecircumference direction. The width of the base region in which the slatstransition into the holding section 2 with a rounding or fluting, seeFIG. 1, is not taken into consideration when determining the maximumwidth EU.

In this exemplary embodiment, each slat has a depth in the radialdirection ER that is greater than its width in the circumferencedirection EU. As a result, each slat presents a greater resistance to abending in the radially outward direction than it does to a bending inthe circumference direction. Preferably, apart from local defects andpreferably even without exception: ER≧1.5×EU. Ideally, ER≧2×EU.

This different design results in the fact that in this exemplaryembodiment, the wiper blades are dimensioned and situated so that theyalso significantly deform and move in the circumference direction as theapplicator is being pulled out, by contrast with the wiper blades of thefirst exemplary embodiment.

FIGS. 13 through 18 show a third exemplary embodiment of the invention.The individual wiper blades of this exemplary embodiment, viewed each bythemselves, correspond to those of the second exemplary embodiment andtherefore the above description of the wiper blades of the secondexemplary embodiment also applies to the wiper blades of the thirdexemplary embodiment.

The third exemplary embodiment differs from the second exemplaryembodiment, however, in that the wiper blades are arranged in differentplanes in a different way than they are in the second exemplaryembodiment. In this instance, the blade shaft of each “erected” wiperblade situated after a preceding wiper blade in the circumferencedirection is longer than the blade shaft of the preceding blade—untilthe longest blade is followed by the shortest blade, thus forming a ringof blades that is intrinsically closed in the circumference direction.In this way, the blade shafts and the wiper fins attached to them arearranged in a configuration reminiscent of a spiral staircase,particularly if the blade shafts become progressively longer by the sameamount, which is preferable.

In this instance as well, a distance AB is provided between the bladefins so that the blade fins are able to elastically deform in anunhindered fashion in any plane, at least during the withdrawal, withoutcoming to rest against the wiper fins in the next or preceding planes.

This step-like or “escalating” arrangement of wiper fins in variousdifferent planes ensures that as the applicator is pulled out throughthe wiper, the wiper presents only a significantly reduced resistance tothe withdrawal since the applicator is not “clamped” between opposingsections of a wiper lip. In addition, during the withdrawal, the wipertends to “wring out” the applicator, resulting in a particularly goodwiping result. This “wringing out” tendency is promoted not least by thefact that each of the wiper fins has a surface oriented toward theinside of the reservoir, which surface is inclined toward the precedingfin that is supported on a shorter blade shaft.

In this exemplary embodiment, the holding section 2—as shown in FIG.13—is preferably embodied so that it tapers in the direction toward theinside of the reservoir and has a circular wiper lip 13 that isintrinsically closed in the circumference direction. For this purpose,the holding section 2 is embodied as conical at its end oriented towardthe inside of the reservoir. Preferably, this circular wiper lip 13 atthe inner end of the conical section is embodied for the purpose ofwiping the shaft of the applicator in order to free it as much aspossible of any of the cosmetic that is adhering to it. This wiper lip13 is dimensioned in a corresponding fashion. In this connection, thecircular wiper lip and the holding section 2 preferably have no bypassopening, i.e. no path leading around the wiper lip for conveying airinto the cosmetic reservoir.

Preferably, this circular wiper lip 13 is instead dimensioned so that ithas a larger inner diameter than comparable wiper lips whose task is notonly to wipe the applicator shaft but also the actual applicator elementor set of applicator bristles. According to the invention, the size ofthe inner diameter is selected so that the circular wiper lipessentially wipes only the applicator shaft and does not exert anysignificant additional wiping action on the actual applicator element orset of applicator bristles. The latter is the case when the circularwiper lip is spaced far enough from the core of the applicator to whichthe bristles are fastened that the set of bristles—which have alreadybeen wiped in another way—permit enough air to flow into the cosmeticreservoir to essentially prevent the annoying “pop” and/or thespattering that occurs as a result of this.

Preferably, the applicator shaft in this exemplary embodiment isdimensioned so that when the applicator is inserted all the way into itsstorage position, it still protrudes inward past the circular wiper lip,thus completely sealing the cosmetic reservoir so that the storedcosmetic cannot escape past the wiper even if the cosmetic product isstored upside down at higher temperatures, which may inadvertently occurinside a purse.

Merely in order to clarify matters, it should be noted in closing thatthe invention also includes a wiper for wiping a cosmetic applicator,having a holding section for fastening the wiper to a cosmeticreservoir, said wiper having a number of wiper blades that are eachcomposed of a blade shaft that distally transitions into a wiper fin,with the wiper fin being wider than the blade shaft and, likewisealternatively a wiper for wiping a cosmetic applicator, having a holdingsection for fastening the wiper to a cosmetic reservoir, said wiperhaving a number of wiper blades that are each composed of a blade shaftthat distally transitions into a wiper fin, with the wiper fin 5 beingbent at right angles relative to the blade shaft 4.

In a fourth exemplary embodiment not shown in the drawings, the wiper isinjection molded out of two different plastics. It is thus possible toinjection mold the holding section, which is only subject to very lowmechanical stresses, out of a comparatively simple and inexpensiveplastic onto which the wiper blades, which are subject to high stresses,are molded out of a different, higher grade and more elastic plastic.

Protection is also sought for the following embodiments:

A wiper for wiping a cosmetic applicator having a holding section forfastening the wiper to a cosmetic reservoir, characterized in that thewiper has a number of wiper blades that are each composed of a bladeshaft that distally transitions into a wiper fin in which the wiper finis wider than the blade shaft.

A wiper for wiping a cosmetic applicator having a holding section forfastening the wiper to a cosmetic reservoir, characterized in that thewiper has a number of wiper blades that are each composed of a bladeshaft that distally transitions into a wiper fin, with the wiper finbeing bent at right angles relative to the blade shaft.

1. A wiper (1) for wiping a cosmetic applicator, the wiper comprising: aholding section for fastening the wiper to a cosmetic reservoir; aplurality of wiper blades, each having a blade shaft that transitionsdistally into a wiper fin; and a plurality of wiper fins that aresituated different distances from the holding section.
 2. The wiper asrecited in claim 1, wherein the blade shafts of the wiper blades aremore than just insignificantly flexible in a circumference direction, sothat under an influence of forces exerted when the applicator is pulledout through the wiper, the wiper fins respectively attached to each ofthe wiper blades are able to flex out of the way by more than 1/10 mm inthe circumference direction.
 3. The wiper as recited in claim 1, whereinthe blade shafts of the wiper blades are more than just insignificantlyflexible in a radial direction, relative to a longitudinal axis of thewiper, so that under an influence of forces exerted when the applicatoris pulled out through the wiper, the wiper fins respectively attached toeach of the wiper blades are able to flex out of the way by more than1/10 mm.
 4. The wiper as recited in claim 1, wherein the wiper has six,eight or ten wiper blades that are arranged distributed uniformly alonga circumference of the holder section.
 5. The wiper as recited in claim1, wherein wiper blades with short and long blade shafts alternate in acircumference direction so that the wiper fins of adjacent wiper blades,viewed in a direction of a longitudinal axis (L), are always situated inalternating fashion at a first, shorter distance and a second, longerdistance from the holding section and one part of the wiper fins lie ina first common plane (EB1) and another part of the wiper fins lie in asecond common plane (EB2).
 6. The wiper as recited in claim 5, whereinthe blade shaft of each erected wiper blade situated after a precedingwiper blade in the circumference direction is longer than the bladeshaft of the preceding blade and the wiper fins are arranged indifferent planes like the steps of a spiral staircase.
 7. A wiper forwiping a cosmetic applicator, the wiper comprising: a holding sectionfor fastening the wiper to a cosmetic reservoir; a plurality of wiperblades, each having a blade shaft that distally transitions into a wiperfin and the wiper fin is wider than the blade shaft.
 8. A wiper forwiping a cosmetic applicator, the wiper comprising: a holding sectionfor fastening the wiper to a cosmetic reservoir a plurality of wiperblades, each having a blade shaft that distally transitions into a wiperfin and the wiper fin is cranked relative to the blade shaft.
 9. Thewiper as recited in claim 1, wherein the wiper fin, viewed as a whole,extends at least essentially at right angles to a longitudinal axis (L)of the wiper.
 10. The wiper as recited in claim 1, wherein blade shaftsdirectly adjacent to one another in a circumference direction are spacedapart from one another—for at least most of their length—by a distanceequal to at least 0.5 times a maximum width (EUS) of relevant bladeshafts in the circumference direction.
 11. The wiper as recited in claim1, wherein at least some of the wiper fins have a bevel orientedessentially in a circumference direction on their distal side surface.12. The wiper as recited in claim 1, wherein the wiper fins are embodiedand oriented so that a section of a center line (M) of the wiper bladethat the wiper fins define does not intersect a longitudinal axis (L) ofthe wiper.
 13. The wiper as recited in claim 1, wherein an end surfaceof the wiper fins oriented radially inward toward a longitudinal axis ofthe wiper is concave, so that all of the wiper fins, when viewed in adirection of the longitudinal axis (L), projected onto a single plane,combine to delimit an essentially circular clear inner diameter.
 14. Thewiper as recited in claim 7, wherein the blade shafts of the wiperblades are more than just insignificantly flexible in a circumferencedirection, so that under an influence of forces exerted when theapplicator is pulled out through the wiper, the wiper fins respectivelyattached to each of the wiper blades are able to flex out of the way bymore than 1/10 mm in the circumference direction.
 15. The wiper asrecited in claim 7, wherein the blade shafts of the wiper blades aremore than just insignificantly flexible in a radial direction relativeto a longitudinal axis of the wiper, so that under an influence offorces exerted when the applicator is pulled out through the wiper, thewiper fins respectively attached to each of the wiper blades are able toflex out of the way by more than 1/10 mm in the radial direction. 16.The wiper as recited in claim 7, wherein the wiper has six, eight or tenwiper blades that are arranged distributed uniformly along acircumference of the holder section.